The Blue Flower
A.R.T. Season
December 1, 2010 through January 8, 2011
"A gorgeous kaleidoscope of sight and sound. I left with tears running down my cheeks."
Joyce Kulhawik

Ride the twisted rails of history from Belle Epoque Paris to the WWI battlefields in this musical play about four lovers and friends finding their way through a world in pieces. The Blue Flower weaves lush video art, inventive music, playful text, and evocative movement into a visceral theatrical experience.

Downloadable demo tracks:
"Eiffel Tower" - details/streaming | download (right click here and "Save As")
"Wild Horse Dancing" - details/streaming | download (right click here and "Save As")

A CD of the music from The Blue Flower, performed by the original Weimarband (not a cast recording), will be for sale at each performance prior to curtain, during intermission, and post-show.

Audiences members are giving The Blue Flower standing ovations, saying that the music is "haunting" and "beautiful" and that the play is "brilliant" and "groundbreaking."

Music, lyrics, script, and videography by Jim Bauer
Artwork, story, and videography by Ruth Bauer
Directed by Will Pomerantz
Movement Director Tom Nelis
By special arrangement with Stephen Schwartz, Andrew Levine, and Steve Tate
DESIGNERS:  
Set Design Marsha Ginsberg
Costume Design Carol Bailey
Lighting Design Justin Townsend
Sound Design Clive Goodwin
   
CAST:  
Max Daniel Jenkins*
Hannah Meghan McGeary*
Fairtyale Man Tom Nelis*
Franz Lucas Kavner*
Maria Teal Wicks*
Typerwriter Man Conner Christiansen*
Sewing Machine Man Paul Shafer*
   
(*) Members of Actors Equity Association
   
MUSICIANS:  
Conductor/Piano Mark Rubinstein
Accordion Peter Bufano
Drums/Percussion Patrick Carmichael
Guitar Steve Latt
Bassoon Douglas Quint
Bass Mike Rivard
Cello Emileigh Vandiver
Pedal Steel Guitar John Widgren
Staff  
   
Assistant Director Amanda Friou
Music Director Mark Rubinstein
Vocal Music Directors Charles Peltz
  Dan Rodriguez
Casting Stephen Kopel
Dramaturgy Ryan McKittrick
  Joseph Pindelski
Stage Manager Katherine Shea*
Assistant Stage Manager Ryan A. Anderson*
Production Associate Taylor Adamik
Assistant Dramaturg Jenna Clark Embrey
Dialect Coach Nancy Houfek

Event gallery: The Blue Flower Production Photos
"The Blue Flower is one of the most creative and original pieces of musical theater I have ever encountered…I love it."
Stephen Schwartz, composer and lyricist of Wicked, Pippin, and Godspell
"Abundant in imagery and imagination...an extravagant production."
Variety
"One of Greater Boston's best shows of the year. A must-see event.... What a wonderful gift.... Go unwrap it."
TAB Community Newspapers
"One of the best musicals I have ever seen. It’s a serious, philosophical, meditative work that incorporates a huge variety of art to further its impact. The storytelling is organic, moving seamlessly from past to present, from song to scene."
The Weekly Dig
The Blue Flower Program: Program Notes: Understanding Maxperanto

Words from Jim Bauer, co-creator of The Blue Flower. More
Fall 2010 Guide: The Blue Flower

Tracing the roots of The Blue Flower from the Belle Epoque to the Second World War

  More
Fall 2010 Guide: Artistic Director's Introduction
Blue Flower blossoms into one of the best shows of the year

"One of Greater Boston's best shows of the year. A must-see event.... What a wonderful gift.... Go unwrap it." -TAB Community Newspapers More
Jim Bauer + Meghan McGeary

From its origins as a small venue cabaret show to its current iteration as a large American Repertory Theater production, The Blue Flower, named after the German Expressionist notion of the eternal pursuit of the unattainable, has gone through many changes in the 10 years that creators Jim and Ruth Bauer and actress Meghan McGeary have been working on the production. More
A flower blooms

"Beverly couple — with help of 'Wicked' creator — see their musical come to life." More
The Blue Flower Program: Program Notes: Authors' Note

A note from Jim & Ruth Bauer, creators of The Blue Flower. More
The Blue Flower Program: Program Notes: Artistic Director's Welcome

A welcome note from Artistic Director Diane Paulus. More
Fall 2010 Guide: A World in Pieces

Jim and Ruth Bauer talk about the inspiration behind their show, The Blue Flower. More
The Blue Flower

"A gorgeous kaleidoscope of sight and sound. I left with tears running down my cheeks." -Joyce Kulhawik More

Pages

Press Releases

American Repertory Theater announces cast & creative team for THE BLUE FLOWER
For Immediate Release: October 13, 2010Contact: Kati Mitchell 617-495-2668kati_mitchell@harvard.edu American Repertory Theaterannounces the cast and creative team forTHE BLUE FLOWERby Jim and Ruth... More
American Repertory Theater Announces Creative Teams for the 2010/11 Season
For Immediate Release August 26, 2010 Contact: Kati Mitchell617-496-2000 x 8841kati_mitchell@harvard.edu American Repertory TheaterAnnounces Creative Teams for the 2010/11 Season Cambridge, Mass — The... More
American Repertory Theater Announces its 2010/11 Season
Contact: Kati Mitchell617-496-2000x8841kati_mitchell@harvard.edu For release on Friday, May 7, 2010 American Repertory TheaterAnnounces its 2010/11 Season:CABARET • ALICE vs. WONDERLAND • THE BLUE... More

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Venue

Loeb Drama Center

64 Brattle St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
Venue Map

Need to know

Single tickets on sale to members: 10/19.
On sale to the public: 11/2.

Access

Accessibilty
Assistive Listening Devices
Large Print Programs

Restaurants
Hotels
Parking
Directions

Pre-performance discussions at 6:30 p.m. on:
Thursday 12/9
Wednesday 12/15
Sunday 12/19

Post-performance discussions after the Saturday matinees on:
12/4
12/11
12/18
1/8

Special post-performance discussion on Tuesday, 12/7.
Co-presented by the Humanities Center, with panelists:
* Jim Bauer and Ruth Bauer
* Mary Ann Caws, Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature, English, and French, Graduate School of the City University of New York
* Matthew Smith, Associate Professor of English, Boston University

Performance sponsors:

Don and Susan Ware

Restaurant Partner: Cambridge, 1

VENUES

Loeb Drama Center
64 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

OBERON
2 Arrow Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

TICKETS

Loeb Drama Center
617.547.8300
Tuesday - Sunday, noon-5PM
OBERON
Open 1 hour before curtain
1/2 hour before curtain for The Donkey Show

CONTACT

Administrative Offices:
617.496.2000
Monday - Friday, 9-6PM
OBERON: 617.496.8004
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